Simulating Life
by prisoner2187
Summary: A new training simulator on base sparks the continuing development of Han and Leia's friendship/relationship.
1. Chapter 1

Some random rebel base after Yavin

"Clearance code confirmed. Millennium Falcon, you have permission to land." The female voice held a hint of anticipation, "Welcome back, Captain Solo." Han Solo felt a quick rush of pleasure at the tone until he realized that the pitch of the voice was too high to be that of a feisty dark-haired princess. "Got a large shipment today?" The flirtatious tone was clear this time.

Shaking off his unexpected disappointment, he replied in kind, "Yeah, a special delivery. Hey, tell the Princess I've got a package 'specially for her, ok?"

"Some girls got all the luck," came the envious response. "I'll tell her, Captain."

Han Solo finished with the shut down sequence while Chewie headed aft to prepare for unloading the latest shipment of supplies for the rebel base. The unloading went quickly as the supply chief supervised his personnel. Among the expected military supplies, and cases of fresh food, there were several large containers labeled as coming from a renowned computer systems company.

Han saw Princess Leia approach as he headed down the ramp. He gave a cocky grin and a wink. "Hiya, sweetheart, you sure got here quick - you must've missed me."

The princess rolled her eyes and shook her head slightly in exasperation.

"I'm almost afraid to ask, but is there really a package for me? Or was that just another innuendo?"

"Don't worry Princess, I got somethin' special for you right here." He placed a hand on her elbow led her around the ship to the loading ramp.

She shook off his arm and stopped in her tracks, glaring at him suspiciously. Giving her an innocent look, Han reached in the cargo hold and pulled out a padded envelope.

"See?" he said, "I was asked to give it to you personally." He leaned forward and whispered in her ear, "Was there another package you were thinkin' about?" The princess reddened and pulled away, but before she could retaliate-

"Captain Solo," interrupted Lieutenant Ghant, approaching from the side. "These containers from SimCorps are not on my requisition list, where did they come from?" The Ordinance Officer looked confused.

Han frowned, "What do you mean? They were loaded by our contact along with the rest of the supplies."

Princess Leia forgot her potential retort and regarded Lt Ghant with a hint of excited curiosity, "SimCorps?"

"You know about this, Your Highness?" Lieutenant Ghant questioned.

"It's something I've been working on, Lieutenant." She snatched the envelope that was still in Han's grasp and tore it open eagerly. "Yes! This is very good news, gentlemen." She flashed them a smile Han hadn't seen since the aftermath of the battle of Yavin.

"Just put those boxes from SimCorps in the east pavilion, Lieutenant. Excuse me." She rushed off in the direction of the Command Center.

* * *

><p>"Idiot's Array!" There were groans around the table as Luke gleefully scooped up his winnings. "Not bad, Luke," Han congratulated him, "Looks like those tips I gave you finally started to sink in."<p>

Luke laughed, "Yeah, I never thought I would learn how to keep a sabacc face."

The pilots of Red Squadron had developed a pattern of getting together weekly for some R & R. Mostly they would drink, talk and make bets, but tonight with Han back from his supply run, the evening turned into a Sabacc match in the common room with pilots from other squadrons joining in.

"Hey, did you guys hear about the new SimCorps simulator?" asked Xand, a young pilot from Gold squadron.

"That must be what was in those boxes I hauled in." Han observed.

"Yeah, it's being installed in the east pavilion. I heard from Shania, the equipment tech, that it's new technology, hasn't even hit the market yet." Hobbie cut in.

Han interjected, "Then how can the Alliance afford it? Those ships you're flying and most of the equipment around here is second and third-hand – some of it's older than you are."

"I heard Princess Leia arranged it," replied Wedge. "I heard that the Alliance's purse is fat again thanks to her, too."

"Humph, well she's good at fundraising that's for sure. I just wish she'd stick to it and leave the military operations to the officers," grouched a pilot named Balen.

"What are you talkin' about?" Luke demanded.

"Well, the General has her acting like a military commander. She's helping with strategic planning, delegating missions and giving orders to the men. I just don't see how "princess training" makes her qualified to do that -"

"Hey, did you forget I'm Alderaanian?" Xand, the pilot who first mentioned SimCorps, leaned over the table and pointed a finger at the offending pilot. "That's _my _princess you're talking about! Don't you know the base on Yavin wouldn't even have existed if not for her? She helped plan, finance and recruit that whole damned cell!"

"Cool your thrusters, Xand! Okay, so she's a great administrator, but this is a military operation. Does she even know the hot end of a blaster? I mean, come on- what does the princess of a peace-loving world know about warfare?"

"More than you realize, Balen." It annoyed Han that this guy obviously had no clue what the princess was capable of. "Luke and I can speak from first hand knowledge that the Princess can hold her own against anyone here." Han was irked at himself for being annoyed. Why did he care if these guys underestimated her?

"Yeah, you guys haven't seen Leia in action!" Luke exclaimed.

"We all know how you feel about her, Luke, but I'll believe it when I see it!" came the grumbled reply.

* * *

><p>There was excitement around the base over the next few days, escalating up to the unveiling of the new SimCorps training simulator. Word spread from the first practice group that the new technology was vastly superior to the base's old simulator and was the next best thing to actually being on a live training mission. Commanders Narra and Willard were in charge of setting the programs and scheduling each pilot and ground soldier to small training groups. Teams eagerly awaited their appointed time on the roster and there was a wave of competitiveness as each man tried to beat the others scores. The general consensus was that the new simulator was an unqualified success.<p>

There was enough talk to pique Han's curiosity. He wasn't officially a member of the military, so getting his name on the training list wasn't happening. He decided instead to circumvent the official path and go straight to the person he thought could find him a way in through the backdoor. Of course, meeting with the Princess proved to be almost as difficult as getting on the wait list. After a full day of being informed that she was in meetings or unavailable, and unsuccessfully staking out the cafeteria (didn't that girl ever eat?), he kept an eye on the passage to her quarters, then finally gave up. Too restless to sleep, he changed into exercise clothes and decided to go to the base exercise room instead of using the small cardio/strength training area on the Falcon. It was an added incentive that the base's facility was located adjacent to the east pavilion, so he could get a glimpse of the new simulator while he was there.

The base was quiet at this time of night and the hallways were empty, but as he approached his destination, he saw light spilling from the open door and the sound of the cardio-conveyor in use. He stepped through the doorway and saw Princess Leia running on the conveyor, dressed in lightweight fatigue pants and a simple cotton tee shirt. Her hair swung behind her back from a high braided ponytail. Leia's eyes widened in surprise as she saw him enter, and she started to remove her headphones, but he waved at her to continue as he took the conveyor next to hers. He set his program, and began his run, noticing that her stride was long and steady. It intrigued him to realize that she obviously ran regularly and led him to wonder what else he didn't know about her.

Han tried to focus on his program but couldn't help occasionally glancing sideways at his companion. The exertion had brought a flush to her cheeks and dampness to her skin that Han found temptingly erotic. His pulse quickened and he felt a tightening in his loins when her lips parted and she began to breathe more heavily. Her tongue slipped out to lick her lips and Han had to clamp down on a train of thought that had him speculating what she would look like if –

He snapped his gaze forward and struggled to focus on something else. Just to annoy her, he reached over and snagged her left ear bud, dodging the princess's lunge to snatch it back. Adjusting it to his ear, he heard the sounds of a heavy guitar and steady drums pounding out a throbbing tune that he dimly recognized. _Hmm, not what I expected. _ He reached for the wireless control sitting on top of the cardio trainer, but Leia surprised him by swiftly throwing a defensive block with her left arm, flipping his arm away. She then quickly thumbed off the music and stopped her training program. Suspicious, Han reached again for the music control. Anticipating a repeat of her maneuver, he slipped under her defense with his other arm, successfully stealing the little gadget.

"Give that back!" the Princess demanded.

_What's goin' on? _Han thought. He stopped his conveyor and looked at her more closely.

She was flushed, perspiring, breathing heavily and in her dark eyes there was a hint of something…tears? She looked away before he could be sure. She stretched over as if to grab the offending item out of his hand, but he moved his arm to the side, out of her reach.

"What's on here that you're trying to hide?" He asked suspiciously.

"I'm not hiding anything, I just like my privacy!" she spat, stepping closer.

He moved backwards off the treadmill and started to turn the music back on, but before he could, Leia stepped down in front of him and lunged again, grabbing and twisting his wrist in another trained maneuver that caused him to release the device.

Astonished at her physical aggression, but reasoning that she had started it, Han felt no qualm at closing his fist firmly around her wrist. "Uh, uh. I don't think so."

She responded by turning her shoulder into his chest, and sweeping her leg under his, knocking him off balance. He was flat on his back on the mat before he knew what had happened.

Leia seemed hardly less surprised at her own actions, "Han, I'm sorry," she gasped. "I didn't mean to do that, I just reacted."

Angry now, he tightened his hold on her wrist before she could slip out of his grasp and gave a good _yank_, pulling her down on top of him. She struggled to push away but he clamped down on her other wrist and held her to him in a viselike grip.

"Let me go, you bully." She struggled to pull away, but his grip was unyielding.

"You're the bully. I'm just trying to defend myself here." Han asserted. "Are you going to stop now?"

"Not until you let me go!" she gritted out.

"Fine, you asked for it," the smuggler warned as he rolled them both over pinning her beneath him. He made sure to angle himself in such a way as to protect his most vulnerable areas as she tried to push him off. "What is this all about? Now calm down and give me that."

Breathing heavily, she finally stilled and looked him in the eye. "It's not that important, Han, really."

He stared at her disbelievingly, "Yeah, I can see how unimportant it is to you." He replied sarcastically.

He took the controller from her and pressed play.

The music was a little dark for what he would have expected of Leia. But then the meaning of the screaming lyrics registered on his brain.

Leia lifted her chin in challenge as Han's face revealed just what he thought of her choice in music.

"What in the nine hells are you listening to? Is that what you're thinking about? Suicide?" Han fumed. He couldn't remember ever being so angry, but didn't want to acknowledge the reason behind why he was so affected.

"Don't be ridiculous!"

"It better be ridiculous, 'cause I didn't save your neck just to have you go and off yourself first chance you get!"

"All that effort for nothing, right?" Leia mocked. "Don't worry, I won't let the hero's image get tarnished by the rescued princess trying to kill herself!"

"This is not about me. This is about you." He gazed at her searchingly. "Are you okay?"

"No I'm not, you're crushing me. Let me up." Leia pushed ineffectually at his chest.

"Not until you give me a straight answer," Han insisted.

It had been less than a year since the destruction of Alderaan, yet this was the first time Leia had revealed even a hint of her true emotions. _She's fooled everyone into thinking she's recovered from her ordeal, accepted her loss and adapted to her new life. But I bet she's only just begun to let herself grieve. How do you ever get over the destruction of your entire planet? Never gonna happen. _

The princess was looking down, her expression hard.

"What do you want to hear? That everything is fine?" She looked up with eyes filled with a combination of anger and unbearable sadness. "Well, I hate to break it to you, but it's not! The Empire _'cut my life into pieces'_. Leia quoted the song's lyrics bitterly_. "_Even that's not right, really. Its not in pieces-it's gone. Everything I had, everything I am, my whole future – _gone_. I'm not living…I just…exist." She looked him directly in the eye. "So if I want to listen to music that's dark about death and dying – I have that right. It's therapeutic. It doesn't mean I'm going to kill myself - or cut myself either, like the song implies; you can check for yourself if you ever let me up." She sighed and the tension left her body. "Dying would be easy –and since when have I ever taken the easy path?"

"Well that's true. You're the strongest person I know, sweetheart." He reached up and tucked back a stray lock of her hair.

"Can we get up now?" Leia asked sharply, brushing his hand away.

"No way. I'm kinda likin' this," Han gave her his lopsided grin. "Besides, you're the one who put us on floor."

Leia huffed in exasperation, then raised an eyebrow mockingly, "No, I merely encouraged you to fall down at my feet. The rest is all you. Now let me up."

Relenting, Han got up and pulled her to her feet. But he couldn't resist the verbal gauntlet.

"I'm sure you're used to men falling for you. It must annoy you that I'm the first man who hasn't fallen for your charms." Han said teasingly.

"All evidence to the contrary, Solo. You were at my feet not a moment ago." She responded in kind.

"Yes, but I fell for your combat skills, not your charm." He quipped, knowing that she wouldn't realize the truth behind the joke.

She rolled her eyes. "Right," she half laughed, half groaned.

Turning serious, Leia placed a hand on his arm and confided, "About our conversation - I can't believe I said all that. I've never talked about it before."

"Yeah, you keep it pretty well hidden."

"I'd really like to keep it that way, Han."

"I promise I won't tell a soul, as long as you promise you're just listening to snuff music, not acting on it."

"Don't worry." She held out her arms, "See."

"I think I need a more thorough inspection to be sure. Not everyone cuts their arms."

"Try again, Captain."

"Maybe I will. Let me escort you to your quarters, Princess. You never know what undesirables might be wandering the base this time of night."

"You mean other than you? Thanks, but I don't need you to defend me."

"After your earlier demonstration, sweetheart, I'm counting on _you _to defend _me_."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The next day Han realized he still hadn't gotten to see the simulator in action, so he took a risk on checking out the base fitness room again and was rewarded with the sight of Leia again on the treadmill.

Leia rolled her eyes at the sight of him setting up his program next her. He hadn't done more than a warm up when her arm stretched out in front of him and her hand opened to reveal one of her ear buds. Laughing, he took the offering, noticing all the while that she stared steadfastly ahead, slightly annoyed but preempting a potential conflict. This time the music was generic, but had a steady upbeat that matched the rhythm of his stride.

After a lengthy work out, they both slowed to a walk and Han finally broke the silence, "So are you always here so late? Shouldn't you be getting your beauty rest, princess?"

"We were getting along fine until you had to go and open your mouth." Leia responded wryly, stepping off the machine and picking up a small towel.

"No seriously. It's like 0200, don't you ever sleep?"

She sighed as she toweled her face and neck, "I'm not really a good sleeper. Besides, after hours, I've got this place to myself. Speaking of curfew, what are you doing here so late?"

"Well, since I'm not officially a member of the Alliance, I figured I could get away with it." Han stated nonchalantly. He grinned down at her, "You're not about to kick me out, are you? Especially since you're here after curfew, too."

Leia smiled in response. "Yes, but I'm a member of High Command - not the military."

"So we're both technically exempt. Hey, come on, show me this new simulator everyone is talking about." With one hand on her arm and the other at her back, he began to purposefully guide her toward the door.

"A little impatient, Captain?" She laughed, thumbing the access lock.

"I've been trying for days to see this thing," he groused. "Can't even get on the list."

"Ah, the benefits that come with membership, Han." Her voice was teasing, "You may not have to follow our rules, but we don't let you play with our toys. You have to belong for that."

"I don't need a membership card, I got connections," Han quipped with a self-satisfied smirk.

As they stepped inside, Han was caught off guard at the emptiness of the cavernous room. By the back wall there were multiple flight seats with flight control panels, but no actual cockpit mock ups. Other than that and an unfamiliar plasticene matrix layer on the floor, the room was bare. Nowhere did he see the usual motorized cubicles in which most flight simulator training was conducted.

"Strange, I could have sworn teams have gone through training already, but it doesn't look like the simulator is set up yet," Han hesitated.

Leia had continued to the back of the room, where she was flipping switches in what was obviously the operator's control booth. As lights started to come on, Han realized he was now staring at the star scape of the Core Systems.

"The whole room is the simulator," Leia explained. "It allows for a much wider visual field and realistic dimension to the training exercises."

Han let out a deep breath, "Huh, I've never seen anything like this."

"Come on, take a seat," Leia gestured towards the pilot seats at the rear wall. "If you want full sensory stimulation, put the electrodes on your temples and one on each arm. There are strips for the legs, too. They'll work through your clothing if you put them on above your boots."

Han eyed the sensory pieces warily. "I don't know about that – the nerve stimulation used in training is usually pretty rough - and tends to distract from the program."

"True," Leia replied, "but SimCorps made some improvements to that too. It's supposed to be pretty realistic."

Han applied the electrodes as Leia continued to set up the system. "Do you want a flight mission only or flight and ground?"

"Flight _and _ground? Sure, gimme all you got. Why don't you be my wing man? You had a chance to play yet?" He grinned at her.

She looked up in surprise. "As a matter of fact, I haven't." She turned her attention back to the operator's panel. "Okay, it's set for two. What do you want to fly? A YT 1300? Or something different?"

"You got the Falcon in there?" Han guffawed in amused disbelief.

She rolled her eyes, "It's stock, flyboy. No beat up hunks of junk in here."

He snorted in pretended annoyance. "Well forget it, then. Just give me an X-wing."

She punched the controls and came around to buckle up in the seat next to him.

From the where he was sitting, the Corellian saw the outlines of an X wing fighter appear around him, with the star scape in front as it would appear as viewed through the cockpit windshield.

The flight mission began, and Han and Leia looped, swerved and blasted through and around enemy ships. Han took the lead and directed Leia's attacks.

"Go for those marks on the right, Princess."

"Roger that."

Leia couldn't help but notice that Han's handling of the X-wing was precise and lethal. He harried a whole flight of TIEs and made short work of blasting them to bits. He continued to direct their attack to achieve maximum destruction of the enemy ships while keeping their own damage at a minimum. Not only was he an unusually skilled pilot, he was also an innovative strategist. _If only he would officially join the Alliance! What an asset he would be! _

For Han's part, he noticed that Leia was a very competent pilot herself. As he coordinated their attacks, he began to realize she had sharp reflexes, accurate timing and superior targeting skills. _She's just as good as -and could be better than- most of the current pilots here, _he thought_._

"Great job, Princess. Follow me down planet-side."

"Oomph," Han heard. He saw that Leia had half crashed her Y-wing during her landing approach.

"What the hells was that, your worship?" Han demanded in consternation. "You do know you don't have to scuttle your ship on this mission, right?"

"Oh, shut up! I've never done an atmospheric entry before - so it could've been worse!"

"Worse how, exactly?"

As they exited the cockpit mock-ups, Han noticed that there was a cityscape projected holographically in the room now. The flooring had conveyors built in and moving platforms that rearranged automatically to mimic a multi-level landscape. He was amazed at how lifelike it was. Including the platoon of storm troopers that came running towards them. They grabbed the mock blasters and ducked, ran and shot at their adversaries until they ran out of ammo. Han had to resort to using his fists to overpower the few remaining storm troopers. The electrodes simulated the sensation of impact in his punches, but also stimulated his nerves so that it felt as if the return blows were real. "Humph. Ow!"

He glanced over to see how Leia was faring with the troopers near her. She gave a sidekick to the closest one, bludgeoned another with her empty blaster and when grabbed from behind, used an obviously schooled maneuver to flip the soldier on his back in front of her. She then snatched his blaster's power pack and proceeded to put it to good use. Although they had been on missions together in the past, he had never before had an opportunity to witness how extensive her hand-to-hand combat training had been. Seeing it now, he was not only impressed by her expertise, it also reinforced his admiration of her sass and spirit. There was certainly more to this princess than a pretty face and diplomacy.

Han and Leia were both short of breath and dripping with perspiration by the time they completed the final objective. The exhilaration Han felt from the challenge was reflected in an answering gleam in Leia's eye.

Still panting from exertion, she exclaimed, "We did it! I had it programmed at a high difficulty setting, too. Not many of the teams have beaten that one."

She marveled at the innovative tactics Han used to complete the challenge. She would never admit it to him, but she was amazed at his uncanny ability to quickly assess and plan the most advantageous course of action. _This is one of the things I most admire about him._

"Not a bad performance, sweetheart. You can fight _under_ me any time." He gave her a suggestive wink. _And that's one of the things I find most annoying about him._

"Let's see the scores."

"Han, it doesn't really matter-it's not a competition, it's supposed to be battle training."

"Don't kid yourself, hon, with men, it's always a contest." He looked over her shoulder, "Well, look at that, sweetheart – your scores rank in the top ten. I bet if we fixed that landing of yours, you would be in the top three. Right behind me and Luke." Of course he noticed that he had the highest score of all those who had tried the simulator. He also noticed as she purposefully restricted their results to her clearance level, so that their activity would be hidden from other users.

"So, you approve of our new training equipment?" Leia inquired.

"What I don't get is how the Alliance could afford this." SimCorps happened to be one of the leading designers and manufacturers of computer technology. "This is brand new stuff. You know the owners or something?" Han joked.

"Something like that." Leia hedged with a slight laugh.

"Really? Spill," Han persisted.

"Okay, fine." Leia relented with a smile. "When I was at university, I met two remarkable men – geniuses, really- they had come up with some innovative theories regarding computer-human interfacing. I was struck by the possible educational applications. My mother had been Minister of Education, so I knew there was a need. All they lacked was funding to develop the concept."

"Your family provided the start up capital for SimCorps?" Han asked in amazement.

"No, I invested my personal funds." Leia clarified absently as she headed over to the water dispenser.

"What, your pocket change? That had to take a small fortune."

Han followed her and leaned against the dispenser as she filled two cups. Handing him one, she leaned against the wall to sip her water slowly.

"It was a calculated risk."

Han blinked. Then he gulped down his drink thirstily, thinking as he had many times before of how different their backgrounds were.

"Wait a minute, SimCorps has been around for at least five years. You must have been…what, sixteen?" Han gaped in consternation.

Leia's only reply was a slight shrug.

Han continued to scrutinize her, then shook his head with a smile, "Young, beautiful _and _smart?"

Leia looked up in astonishment, "Was that a compliment?"

"I have to admit I'm impressed." He was gazing at her with obvious admiration.

"Don't be too impressed." She said dismissively. "It's easy to make money when you have money."

"That must have been some allowance." He teased.

"That's really none of your business." Leia reproved with a half smile.

"Yeah, you probably used a big fat trust fund or something." Han said nonchalantly, baiting her.

She rolled her eyes. "You're fixated on this, aren't you? It may surprise you to know that I actually had my own income. I had royal duties and responsibilities before I became a political attaché for my father. It's not like I was sitting around eating trufflets."

Han let that digest for a moment. Being a princess was actually work? Doing what exactly, he wondered. But then he let the thought pass.

"So, you own SimCorps?"

"Let's just say I have a controlling interest."

"Shit. You must have been the richest girl in the Core. The Empire take everything?"

"I had thought so. Remember the package? My father somehow managed to hide my interest in SimCorps in a way that should be untraceable. It must have been one of the last things he did…" She tapered off, a fleeting expression of sadness visible before she resumed her normally rigid control. "Anyway, I'll be able to access the income to support the resistance."

He nodded and they fell into a comfortable silence, until Leia pushed away from the wall, throwing her disposable cup in the trash.

"How you get me talking like this is beyond me." She said, shaking her head with a sigh. Then more pointedly, "This is yet another thing I don't want to be common knowledge."

"You can trust me, Princess." He was surprisingly sincere.

"Apparently, I do trust you," she said in bemusement. Then she added teasingly, "although, I can't imagine why."

"You're obviously a discerning woman who recognizes sincerity and quality when she sees it."

"Well, I know that's not it." Leia snorted.

"Really, I'm a very trustworthy guy." Han asserted with mock seriousness. "In fact," he grinned slyly, "I can imagine a lot more things you could trust me with…"

"I don't want to know!"


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars or anything in George's universe. I cannot accept any monetary form of appreciation anyone might be tempted to send my way (as if!). Not only does George have no grounds to sue me, I wish I could sue him for creating a world and characters that distract me (on a daily basis) from more productive pursuits!

* * *

><p>Over the next few weeks, Princess Leia and Han Solo fell into a routine of late night exercise and simulator practice. The encounters were never prearranged, but somehow Han always seemed to stroll in after Leia began her workouts. During the day, paths crossing only occasionally, neither made any reference to their nocturnal activity. They never discussed keeping it a secret, but both tacitly preferred to keep their training time private. Leia assumed Han came each night because she granted him access to the simulator, but when she finally offered to put him on the training roster, he declined, stating she needed his help to improve her landing skills. She wasn't sure why he really came, but the activity was a welcome distraction from her otherwise long and restless nights, so she didn't object to the somewhat intense training he subjected her to. He made her fly and land just about every spacecraft in the program, not once, but repeatedly and in all weather conditions and terrains.<p>

"For gods sake, Solo! When will I ever have to land on a rock in the middle of an ocean during a hurricane! This is ridiculous- and impossible!"

"Stop with the back talk and just do it! If you can learn to do the impossible, it makes the possible seem easy, right? Now follow my directions… "

After nights filled with physical and mental stimulation, Leia found that she dropped into a deep sleep undisturbed by painful images from her past. She still wasn't getting enough rest, but the quality of sleep was the best she'd had since she'd been on base.

After a month of almost nightly meetings, Han accepted an assignment that would take him off base for an extended period of least two weeks. Previously, his supply runs had only entailed an absence of a few days at a time. The night before his departure, instead of heading to the simulator, Han flopped down on the padded mat and gestured for Leia to join him. She gave him a quizzical look, but sank gracefully down to the floor in front of him.

"I've been wondering what's gonna happen when the Imps get wind of this training technology. Aren't they gonna want it?" Han asked.

Leia's expression showed disgust. "Why do think it was developed in the first place? This particular application is nothing I ever envisioned. Two years ago the Navy approached with the request and, well, it's really hard to say 'no' to the Empire without getting shut down, so SimCorps said 'yes'." She looked away, shaking her head.

"Ironic isn't it?" she added in a hard voice. "I'm involved in selling military trainers to the Empire. But, it benefits us too. The Alliance got the finished technology first and we will know exactly how Imperial troops are being trained. The company's design team had to work very closely with Imperial military leaders, so it's also provided a nice information source for us. I may not be in the Core anymore, but I still have my finger on the pulse."

"You know, the programmers can add in subtleties that influence Imperial training … you'll be able to predict their responses…" Han offered.

She smiled confidently, "Trust me, I know."

"I might have some ideas on that…"

"Based on your time with the Imperial Navy, Lieutenant Solo?" She asked innocently, raising an eyebrow.

Han was startled. "You know about that?"

"Did you really think I didn't? Don't worry, haven't you noticed a lot of our people here were once Imperials? Myself included. _Imperial _Senator, remember?" She switched from a mocking tone to a teasing one, "But, being on the training and tactical committee is another benefit of _Alliance_ membership…"

"How about you consider me a consultant?" Han offered with a lopsided smile. "When I get back…"

"We'll see." Leia grinned.

Entering the Command Center the next morning, Princess Leia was approached by Lieutenant Trasi, the communications officer on duty.

"Your Highness, Captain Solo came by this morning before lift off and left this for you." The young woman held up a folded piece of flimsiplast.

"He left me a note?" the princess questioned skeptically, taking the piece of flimsy gingerly. "I'm almost afraid to open it."

"Why? You think it's booby trapped?" the Alderaanian lieutenant giggled.

"I wouldn't put it past him."

"You know, I think Captain Solo is very good looking." She eyed the princess speculatively.

"Well, you're in good company, then. Because I'm sure Captain Solo thinks he's very good looking, too." The princess responded dryly.

"Don't _you_ think so?" the young woman asked wonderingly.

"What _I _think is that it's time to get to work." Leia stated firmly, tucking the flimsy into her pocket.

Later that night in her quarters while Leia was changing into her workout clothes, the forgotten piece of flimsy fluttered out of her pocket onto the floor. Curious, she opened the folds to discover a small data card along with a note written in a surprisingly meticulous hand:

"No snuff music while I'm gone – listen to this instead."

Disparaging interfering smugglers under her breath, Leia, with some trepidation loaded the data card into the player as she started her warm up. Halfway through her workout, she realized that the upbeat music all had a common theme; boy wants girl, but girl doesn't notice. _What's with all these semi love songs? I guess I just never noticed that popular music is all about the same thing._

As she recognized the graphic lyrics of the next song, Leia almost stumbled in surprise. It was one she'd heard before and liked, but she had to wonder whether Han was trying to shock or annoy her by including the tune in which a boy begs a girl for dirty, hot sex. The next song was even more explicit. _Typical_, she concluded in amusement.

* * *

><p>Han, for his part, was imagining the princess's response to his custom soundtrack. Would she pick up on the hint, or just think he was teasing her? Either way, he was looking forward to whatever her reaction might be.<p>

He thought about Leia often during the long trip, not sure what drew him to seek her out almost every night, but no longer denying that he _was _drawn. He couldn't seem to help himself. The more time he spent with her, the more he was fascinated. He enjoyed her company, her intelligence, her sassiness…and he couldn't stop looking at her, either. Not just looking, but watching. Watching the way she held herself, the way she moved, the changing expressions on her face – especially when her haughty mask would disintegrate into laughter or annoyed exasperation. He suspected she had a passionate nature, but she was closed off to everything but her fight against the Empire.

That was her major flaw, he decided, she had no passion for living. In fact, she was practically joyless. Even when she laughed, it never completely reached her eyes. There was always a seriousness behind the amusement, an awareness of grief lurking at the edges, just waiting for a chance to spring out and take over. She hid it well, but he saw and recognized it for what it was. She avoided the base's recreational activities, sparse as they were, and most attempts to include her in any impromptu get-togethers were rebuffed. It was as if she wouldn't allow herself to enjoy anything. He couldn't help wondering what she had been like before the Empire's destruction of her previous life.

Persistent variations of these thoughts combined with a morbid curiosity caused him to impulsively run a search on his data pad:

_Princess Leia Organa. _

Immediately, a huge menu of information files appeared on screen. Opening an Imperial Center newsfeed from eight months ago, the screen was filled with the headline, "Senator Leia Organa Denounced as Traitor to Empire". Scanning the article he read, "_The Alderaanian princess pronounced dead in a subspace accident last week has now been found to have had ties to the rebellion. The Imperial Security Bureau has just released evidence of Organa's involvement in espionage, treason and terrorism throughout her tenure in the Senate…"_

Han closed down the propaganda with disgust.

Instead, he attempted to open another file, then another. It wasn't until the third unsuccessful attempt that he realized Imperial censorship was at work. _They really did wipe out her past, _he reflected, a_t least any evidence of it. But there has to be a way around the blocks…_

By entering Alderaanian landmarks as key words, Han narrowed the search down to an archived site for Aldera Palace that offered holographic views of the public chambers – including the gallery. Opening the link, Han was able to view the portraits that had last been on display of Alderaan's Governing Officials and Royal Family.

Scrolling past images of First Chairman Bail Organa and those of the Governing Council, he found one titled _Senator Leia Organa. _In the holograph, Leia appeared very much as when they first met, her expression displaying the confidence, determination and passion of a young woman who knew what she wanted in life and how to achieve it.

Moving to the portraits of the Royal Family, Han tried to reconcile the Princess's image with the Leia he knew. The girl on the screen was elaborately coiffed, wearing a shoulder skimming formal gown that hugged her tiny waist and flared out into a full skirt and train. She was standing with one hand on the back of an empty throne and was gazing into the distance with a serene expression on her face.

_Official portrait of Princess Leia Organa, Royal House of Alderaan, on her 20__th__ birthday_. There was a linked article that began, _"When will Leia assume the throne? Just a year away from her majority, the Royal Princess continues in her role as Imperial Senator while speculation rises as to when she will return to be crowned Queen. Reports from the Viceroy's office indicate that the politically minded princess has no immediate plans to take on the title and responsibilities of Alderaan's reigning monarch."_

_Queen, _Han thought, reflecting back to Leia's comment that the Empire had destroyed her past, present and future. _This must be the future she meant._ The girl in the picture looked every inch a princess and future Queen, regal and totally untouchable. She looked nothing like the fiery woman who had flipped him to his back over a music selection. Disquieted by the evidence that the gulf between a princess and a guy like him was even wider than he realized, Han reached to shut off the data pad when another link caught his attention.

_An Inside Look at a Day in the Life of Leia Organa, Princess of Alderaan _

The documentary holovid followed an eighteen-year-old Leia, highlighting a normal day. It showed her at work as a political aide for her father; as the head of a large charitable organization; and as the Royal representative at an official civic function. The culmination of this long day featured a formal political reception at Aldera Palace.

Since the filming took place just before Leia's election campaign for Senator, Han suspected it was a marketing tool to garner public support. Although the vid displayed how active Leia was in royal duties and planetary politics, what interested Han was the insight to her personality. Throughout the day's multitasking, Leia demonstrated a dry, quirky sense of humor that repeatedly revealed itself during interactions with her blonde aide and ever-present bodyguards, whom she facetiously referred to as Grim and Disgruntled. She was livelier than Han was used to seeing her and though obviously chafing at the restrictions and formality of public life, she carried out her official duties with grace and regality, relaxing to a more open manner in the privacy of her family circle.

A scene Han especially liked and replayed several times showed Leia with her father and aunts in a private, unguarded moment before the formal reception. She and Bail engaged in witty repartee, challenging each other in a game of words that was both amusing and spirited. Her open, demonstrative affection towards her father and aunts surprised Han by its unexpectedness and total incongruity to his personal experience.

Thinking about the things he'd learned, Han realized that he would likely have fallen for the princess under any circumstances, no matter how unattainable. _Why do I always go for the long shot? _Given his newfound insight into Leia's losses, he realized that toying with her was out of the question, even if she was interested - which he doubted. But he couldn't seem to dissuade himself from the idea that he might be able to slowly pull her away from the brink of encroaching despair.

A/N: This chapter feels very sappy to me. I've cut out a lot, because it was much worse, but I think it might still be a bit much. I was trying to cover some of Leia's back story to emphasize the change in her circumstances and to give insight to her motivations in the next chapter.

Please review!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Not mine, wish it was, but there you go...

Han returned from assignment in the late evening local time. Since it wasn't past curfew yet, he decided to see if anyone was in the mess hall. Entering the room, Han saw Luke in the middle of an animated discussion with a large group of pilots.

Luke waved him over, obviously pleased to see Han. "Hey, you're back! How'd it go?"

"Smooth and easy for a change, kid." Han hooked a chair and swung into it lazily. "Hey, I'll take some of that." He gestured towards the dark brew on the table.

Passing down a mug of ale, Wedge asked, "So, have you heard about the challenge?"

Han raised an eyebrow and shrugged, "What challenge is that?"

"Well, it started with Hobbie and Janson betting they could beat me and Luke at a simulator mission." Wedge explained. There were good-natured jeers from the other pilots at this.

"Yeah and now everyone wants in." Luke laughed, "It's turned into a base wide challenge."

"Apparently, we're the team to beat." Wedge proclaimed confidently. Someone threw a crumpled napkin at Wedge in annoyance. "Hey! It's true. We're unbeatable! You'll see."

"So when does all this take place?" Han asked.

"In a couple days." Luke looked smug. "I had a long meeting with the princess yesterday to get it Okayed." There were catcalls around the table.

"Way to go, Luke!" and "What did you do to convince her?" were some of the teasing comments.

"Come on, guys!" Luke admonished. "She actually thought it was a good idea. She's doing the logistics and Commanders Narra and Willard are programming the mission parameters."

"So is she gonna sign up, too?" Han asked.

The group looked at Han in surprise at his question.

"Are you kidding? The Princess?" Came from a pilot down the table.

"Why would she?" Luke asked in confusion.

"No reason." Han evaded. "Just wondering."

Two hours after curfew, Han ambled to the base gym and saw Princess Leia as usual on the cardio-conveyer.

"Hiya, Princess. You miss me?" He gave her his signature lopsided grin.

"There goes my peace and quiet." She replied with pretended annoyance as she paused her program. Then she smiled and said, "Welcome back, Captain. I trust your trip went well- we didn't expect you until tomorrow."

"Ah ha, so you did miss me." Han's grin widened. "You knew exactly when I should be back."

She rolled her eyes, "You know very well it's my _job_ to know your schedule." Her tone was reproving.

"Yeah, that's what you say…" Han's teasing tone implied he wasn't convinced. Then he smiled knowingly, "So what are you listening to?"

"Not your obscene playlist, thank you very much!" she retorted in amused disgust.

He chuckled. "So did you think of me?"

"And why would I do that?" She asked loftily.

"There was that one song…Y'know, where the girl's thinking about a guy and…" _touching herself_, Han completed the thought mentally.

Understanding dawned on Leia's face and she burst out in surprised laughter, "In your dreams, flyboy."

Happy to see honest amusement in her eyes, Han suppressed a twinge of regret at the proof that she didn't take him at all seriously.

"Enough with the teasing. I want to finish my run." She turned away and punched the control to resume her program. "See if you can keep up after such a long break."

Han did keep up. He had been using the exercise equipment on the Falcon, but didn't mention the fact in case she wondered why he was using the base's equipment when his own would be much more convenient. Slowing down to a walk, Han asked her if she had been using the simulator while he was gone. Her negative reply gratified him, especially when she just shrugged at his suggestion that Luke would have been happy to break curfew and practice with her.

"Well, let's play now." Her easy agreement to his invitation pleased him still more. After an intense firefight and perfect landing. Han said admiringly, "You must have had a good teacher, sweetheart. You could have landed on a pin."

"I could have done it in a hurricane, no less." She replied pertly.

As Han walked Leia to her quarters, he brought up the Sim Challenge. "So, I was thinking about entering. What do you think?"

"I don't see any reason why you shouldn't."

"Luke and Wedge are getting really cocky, but I think we can beat them." He eyed her confidently.

"We?" The princess looked up at him in surprise. Then she shook her head, "Oh, no. Not me." Leia was adamant in her refusal.

"Why not? You pretty much kick ass out there, sweetheart, and I don't think anyone realizes what you can do." Han persisted.

"I don't need to prove myself to anyone, Han."

"I think you do." He contradicted firmly.

"I don't really care what you think. I'm not going to do it."

"Come on," He changed tactics and tried a persuasive smile. "You know it would be fun."

"I'm here to fight a war - not to have _fun._" Leia exclaimed in annoyance.

"Yeah, I noticed that." He responded flatly.

"Good. I wouldn't want to mislead you." Anger was creeping into her voice and her eyes flashed dangerously.

"No, not good." Han disagreed irritably. "You're not the only one here to fight a war, you know, but everyone else manages to have a little fun once in awhile to balance it out." Stopping outside her quarters, Han turned to face the princess. "You have a tendency to avoid anything social. You won't even come to the mess for an after hours drink. And don't say it's bad form – all the officers come sometimes. You purposely hold yourself back."

"That's not true!" She denied indignantly.

"Tell me one thing you do for fun." He crossed his arms over his chest, clearly skeptical of her ability to come up with a rebuttal.

After a slight hesitation, Leia raised her chin, "My workouts."

"That's for fun? Somehow, I thought it was therapy for the grief and anger issues keeping you up at night." She gasped in shock at the bald accusation. "Y'know, maybe you'd do more than 'just exist' if you stopped punishing yourself and actually participated in life once in a while," he concluded wrathfully.

"How dare you!" She was incensed that he turned her own words against her. His comments raised unaccustomed feelings of exposure and vulnerability, both sensations unpleasant and unwelcome.

"You have absolutely no right to analyze me." She hissed.

"Leia, I'm just saying-" He started obstinately.

"Well, don't 'just say'!" She cut him off, palming the door open and staring him down from the doorway. "What I do or don't do – and especially the reason why - is none of your damn business!"

Any retort Han wanted to make was cut off when the princess cycled the door shut in his face. He turned to stalk back down the corridor seething with righteous determination to make her see reason.

* * *

><p>After a morning filled with meetings, Princess Leia relieved Lt Tarsk at the comm station for the mid day meal. When the Alderaanian officer returned, she thanked the princess and then added with a conspiratory smile, "I heard that you and Captain Solo are going to be a team in the Sim Challenge."<p>

"What?" Aghast, Leia demanded, "Who said that?"

"Everyone's talking about it, Your Highness." The lieutenant wavered uncertainly. "Isn't it true?"

"No, it's not true! Of all the arrogant, presumptuous…Ugh! I'm going to give him a piece of my mind!" As the princess stormed through the command center, she left a wake of silence and curious stares behind her. Before she quite reached the exit however, General Rieekan intercepted her path.

"Lelila?"

Leia paused and checked her anger at the personal address, "Yes, Carlist?"

He took her arm and led her into his office. "I wanted to talk to you about this simulator challenge. I think it's giving a real boost for morale. The men are excited, motivated."

"That's good." Leia stated noncommittally.

"I was glad to hear that you are going to participate."

"Carlist, that's just a rumor. It would hardly be appropriate."

"Actually, I think it would be very appropriate. I've seen the scores from your practice sessions with Captain Solo, and I think it would – how do I say it? 'Enhance' your reputation with the troops."

Leia gazed at him with a slight sense of betrayal at his words. _Why does it feel like everyone wants to push me into this? _She realized that he had probably known of her nocturnal activities from the start and that his clearance code would certainly have given him full access to the stats she had encrypted in an attempt at privacy.

"I don't feel the need to prove myself, Carlist."

"You're a politician, Leia. You know that perception is reality. If you want people to follow you, you prove that you are worth following. I don't need to tell you that. You've already proven yourself in the political arena, and as an administrator. The question is, do you want more direct involvement in the military? It's up to you. Just remember that soldiers may fight for ideals, but they respect proven ability. An effective leader who inspires both would be…transformational."

"_Transformational?" _ the princess scoffed, rolling her eyes. Turning to leave, she stated acerbically, "Thanks for the pep talk, General."

"The Leia I knew in the past would have really enjoyed this kind of challenge."

She stopped in her tracks, her voice hollow, "The past is dead, Carlist."

"But you're not." He declared firmly.

Whirling around, she demanded angrily, "You're going to start in on me, too?"

As she left the office, General Rieekan leaned back, a suspicion forming in his mind as to whom the princess was referring. _I knew there was a reason I liked Captain Solo, _he mused.

Leia wasn't willing to admit the truth of Han's accusations of the night before. She was content in her isolation and resented the coercion from Han and now Carlist to join in an activity that was bound to include her in the camaraderie on base. How could she explain that anytime she felt even a moment of happiness she was then overwhelmed by intense feelings of guilt? What right did she have to enjoy life when those she had been responsible for no longer could? Shaking her head to disperse the thought, she strode off to confront the foci of her resentment.

Entering the mess, the princess paused and scanned the crowd until she found Luke and Han lounging at a table across the room. Making her way towards them, the general noise lessened and a path cleared in front of her as curious personnel became cognizant of her objective.

Sliding into the chair next to Luke, she nudged his shoulder with hers, oblivious to the interested observers. "Hey there."

Luke smiled at her in genuine pleasure. "Hey there yourself, princess."

Han noticed in annoyance how Leia's face softened when regarding Luke, then hardened into anger as she turned towards him. "You." It came out like an accusation. "I thought I made it quite plain that I am not interested in being part of this challenge."

"Did you?" Han pretended to think about it, and then shook his head, "Funny, I don't seem to remember that."

"You arrogant, manipulative-" she snarled, leaning forward.

"Whoa," Luke interceded, "no one expects you to do it, Leia. Don't get so upset."

"Yeah sweetheart, I guess we already established it wouldn't be any _fun_." He emphasized the last word just to goad her.

"You know what would be fun? A live ammo drill with you as the target. Now _that_ I would sign up for!"

"You wouldn't be alone in that, Leia." Luke snickered. "Han's been boasting about winning this thing. His overconfidence was already annoying when everyone thought Chewie was his teammate. But then we realized he thinks he's so good he can win in spite of a handicap. So trust me, he's got a lot of people harassing him."

Watching, Han couldn't repress a smile as Luke didn't seem to notice Leia stiffen at his tactlessness. The princess turned, regarding the young pilot with equal amounts of disbelief and resentment before Luke recognized his blunder. "Uh, I didn't mean you were a handicap, Leia. I meant…uhm…"

Han caught her eye in challenge and shrugged to indicate 'I told you so'. Her gaze lingered on his a moment, narrowing in thought before she came to an abrupt decision. Banging her hands down on the table with a thud, she stood, glaring down at Luke while addressing Han in a tightly controlled voice. "Captain Solo, please comm me when you have our scheduled start time." Not waiting for his reply, she turned on her heel and marched indignantly out of the room.

Han crowed maliciously, "Wow, Luke you really pissed her off!" Grinning hugely he added, "I have a very good feeling about this." Standing, he called out to the room cheerfully, "Anyone wanna make a bet?"


	5. Chapter 5

The day of the challenge a spectator area was set up in the main hanger with a live feed via holoprojector. Competitors were strictly forbidden to enter the viewing area prior to their round. Score only updates were conveniently posted on screens in the mess, and the gym. The gym was also serving as the ready room for the team on deck, and it was there that all 20 teams met at 0800 for a competition briefing with Commander Willard.

"Each team will have 5 minutes in the ready room to review the mission parameters set by Commander Narra and myself. You will then have 25 minutes in the simulator to complete the objectives. Only X- and Y-wing fighters are to be used in the flight portion of the mission. Overall scores will be based on 5 categories: piloting, hand-to-hand combat, shooting accuracy, completion of mission objectives and time used. A successful mission must have at least 80% of the objectives completed within the allotted timeframe. Any competitors entering the viewing area before completing their turn will be disqualified. Oh, and if you're killed in the simulator- you're out of the competition. Questions?"

"What does the winning team get?" A soldier called out.

Among the good-natured suggestions were a case of ale, no watch duty for a week, and commander for a day. Then Janson shouted out "How about a kiss from the Princess?"

"What if her team wins?" Han called back.

"Then she gets a kiss from each of us!" Catcalls sounded throughout the room at Janson's proposal.

"Yeah, and all of you get to kiss my ass." Han's cocky rejoinder provoked a volley of flight gloves aimed at him along with aggravated scowls from the princess and the two other female competitors.

"What?" Han asked Leia innocently. "It's all in good fun."

"It's fun right up until I get stuck kissing every man here. Oh, and the two girls, too," griped the princess.

"Now that I wanna watch." Han winked. "But here I'll fix it for you." The Corellian stood and addressed the room mock seriously. "Correction, guys. By royal decree, everyone has to kiss _Princess Leia's_ ass if we win."

"Thanks so much," she said dryly amid the roar of laughter in the room.

"No problem, Your Highness. Anytime."

"There will be a party tonight in honor of the winners." Commander Willard informed the rowdy group. "The first group is scheduled to report back here at 0850 for briefing and will start at 0900. Dismissed."

Han had chosen the last slot for their start time, scheduled at 2000. Going last meant that they would be unable to watch the competition in action, something Han would have liked to do. Leia was indifferent, but the more competitive Han felt that gaining the advantage of surprise was well worth the price. It was an added plus that all their rivals would likely be present to observe the final round. Han was eagerly anticipating the general reaction of the base to their performance.

There was a noticeable buzz of excitement among the troops as the Princess and General Rieekan sat down for lunch in the mess hall. Conversation was flying around the room comparing the strategies and results of the fray so far. The posted scores showed that Luke and Wedge were in the lead by a wide margin over the other five teams that had completed their runs. A snippet of conversation between two supply staffers floated over to Leia and Rieekan from a nearby table. "Those are near perfect scores. No one is gonna be able to beat them."

Rieekan eyed the princess with a conspiratorial smile. "The scores I've seen from your practice sessions are just as good as those."

"I know," was Leia's diffident response between bites of her sandwich.

"I'm glad you decided to enter. What made you reconsider?"

Leia deadpanned, "Someone told me if I did this, I could become a transformational leader." She then gave an impish smile to indicate she was teasing him.

Just then Luke entered and was immediately bombarded with cheers and congratulations. It was some time before he was able to duck away from the enthusiastic back-slapping and demands for an accounting of his exploits, but eventually he was able to make his way over to the table where Princess Leia was sitting. He gave a tentative smile as he greeted her and the General, but was disheartened by the coldness of her reception.

The General warmly offered his approbation. "Good job, Skywalker. That was an impressive performance. You are definitely living up to your father's name."

"Thank you, sir."

Han Solo swung into the seat on Leia's right and looked at Luke across the table as he added his own comment. "Not bad, kid. Everyone says your scores are unbeatable." He nonchalantly reached over and took the princess's half eaten sandwich, saying around a mouthful, "'Course, that's just cuz we haven't had our turn yet."

"Do you mind? I'm still eating that." Leia complained to Han, ignoring Luke completely.

"No, I don't mind at all." Han quipped. "Besides, you never eat much more than three bites of anything, anyway."

"We're not rationing food today, Han. There's enough for you to get your own."

"Nah, that's okay. I already ate." As he put the remainder of her sandwich back on her plate, daring her to finish it, his grin made it obvious that his only intention had been to annoy her.

"General," Leia interrupted imperiously. "I think we need to reopen that discussion about creating an Officer's Mess."

While Han and Leia were bickering, Rieekan had been quietly conversing with Luke and had convinced him to sit down across from Han, but now the commanding officer turned at Leia's peremptory motion.

"I'm sorry, Princess." He responded amusedly. "Your argument last week _against_ a separate dining hall for officers was so convincing that I don't think anyone on the Command Team would dare to reconsider."

Leia feigned disappointment and pointedly resumed eating as Han laughed at her.

It had not escaped the notice of the three males at the table that the princess was treating Luke with icy disregard. The young pilot was uncomfortably aware of her purposeful exclusion and was trying desperately to think of a way to get back into her good graces. He made a couple of attempts to engage her in conversation to no avail. Finally deciding that an apology was his best bet, he began with, "Leia, I'm really sorry. I never meant to insult you."

Leia finally looked Luke directly in the eye and gave him a sweet smile. "I understand, Luke." He looked so relieved it was almost comical. "You just have a low opinion of my abilities, that's all."

Luke groaned and put his head in his hands. "Leia…"

"Of course you do. A princess from one of the Core worlds couldn't possibly have any decent combat skills, right? Especially compared to an Outer Rim moisture farmer who just happens to be the son of a famous Clone Wars hero." Leia delivered this sweetly with a feigned innocence that fooled no one. "And everyone knows Alderaan had a pacifist culture after all. How could I possibly be offended?"

Luke was rendered speechless, his discomfort and uncertainty palpable. Han, used to suffering the brunt of the princess's sharp wit and even sharper temper, was openly amused at seeing Luke on her bad side for a change. Rieekan sat back and was silently enjoying the interesting byplay between the threesome.

"Although, now that I think about it," the Princess continued with faked concentration, "I seem to remember saving both your skins on the Death Star, not to mention shooting troopers off your backs at least a half dozen other times, too. Must have been a fluke, though right? Or maybe it was someone else who just looked like me? Because we all know that a princess has skills much more along the lines of - oh, organizing banquets and charity balls."

Luke sat frozen in silent misery as she launched this sarcastic verbal attack. His own self- recrimination left him incapable of summoning up anything to say in his defense, so he merely hung his head in visible remorse.

"Don't sell yourself short sweetheart," Han joined in. "You also have an amazing knowledge of intricate hairstyles. I know Luke's noticed that."

The gibe from Han finally brought forth Luke's courage to speak. "Okay, okay. I get it. I really screwed up. How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?"

Leia just shrugged, but noticing Janson and Wedge trying to get Luke's attention, she said dismissively, "Go and enjoy the top scores while you can, farm boy. Because Han is right - you won't have them for long!"

As Luke retreated, Han teased, "Self deprecation and guilt, huh? Interesting tactic. You haven't used that one on me, yet."

"It wouldn't work on you!" Leia retorted with a smirk. "You're too much of a narcissist."

"It's certainly been effective on Skywalker. He looks miserable." General Rieekan observed as Leia snickered unrepentantly.

"So how long are you gonna torture him?" Han wanted to know.

"Probably not as long as he deserves," she smiled.

"I'll be surprised if you don't forgive him by tonight," Han declared, secretly wishing otherwise. "You have a soft spot for him."

"Everyone has a soft spot for Luke!" she exclaimed. "Including you. He's so…" she searched for the right word, finally spitting out disgustedly "…likable."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Rieekan laughed.

"It_ is_ a bad thing - since I **want** to stay angry with him," she responded facetiously.

"Well, I guess I have the real answer as to why to you joined the competition."

Most of the off duty staff was present in the spectator viewing area to witness the final round of the simulator competition. After his initial boasting, Han had been noticeably nonchalant about his team's expected performance. Once Leia had actually agreed to competing, he maintained a confident silence on the topic although he had received a lot of questions and good natured ribbing about his choice of team mate. Secretly, most personnel suspected that his interest had nothing to do with the competition, a fact reinforced by the frequent sparring witnessed between the two.

Luke and Wedge still led the contest by a significant margin with Janson and Hobbie next on the leader board. Hoping to maintain the bragging rights of finishing in second place, Janson couldn't help lurking by the ready room door to spy out the ingoing teams. As Han and Leia approached he unobtrusively eavesdropped to determine if Han would be coaching the princess prior to their run. Wes knew that the Corellian smuggler was a contender who could easily take over Janson's position, but wasn't sure how much the princess would affect Solo's chances. Assuming Han would have an angle to assure success, Janson attempted to determine what it was and eagerly planned on sharing whatever insight he could gather. Unfortunately for the gossips, the Captain and the Princess waited, leaning against the wall and exhibiting no nervousness whatsoever. Far from giving Leia last minute tips or discussing strategy, Han was debating various schemes to breach the inviolability of Officer's mess halls while she rebutted with numerous ways to thwart him.

Han and Leia began their run totally unfazed by the knowledge that they were being watched by almost the entire base. Han actually relished in the fact. He was good, he knew it and he liked to show off- and he knew she was good, too. "Let's show 'em how it's done, Princess!" He crowed.

Leia pushed away all distractions and focused on the mission. As the sequence began, she reveled in the surge of adrenaline that rushed through her while evading, attacking and destroying the simulated enemies. As she unconsciously opened her awareness, the path to achieve the mission objectives became almost simplistic as time seemed to stretch out and her reflexes took over with lightning-like swiftness. The flight scenario was completed quickly and she found herself countermanding Han's landing stratagem, instead leading him on a difficult maneuver directly through an industrial section of town, flying at dangerously low altitudes between factory buildings and firing proton torpedoes directly into the enemy defense lines. Landing precariously by balancing her Y-wing's ion jets on either side of a narrow channel then braking so that the tip of the cockpit just nosed onto the adjoining rooftop, Leia opened the canopy and dropped down directly into the simulated alley, Han right behind her. He gave a glance of admiration at her maneuver and led the way into the nearby building that housed the final target.

Before she realized it, the session was over and Han was laughing, pulling her into an enthusiastic embrace.

"Damn, Sweetheart. That was amazing - you've been holding out on me!"

Pulling her along back to the ready room, he exclaimed exultantly, "I knew it – look at the board!" There were their names, right at the top:

_Organa-Solo_

_Antilles- Skywalker _

_Janson-Klivian_

Chewie came roaring in with congratulations as Leia struggled to catch her breath. She wasn't sure if her breathlessness was the aftermath of exhilaration or from the startling boldness of seeing her name linked with Han's in print. She had a fleeting self-conscious awareness of implied intimacy in the public display. Brushing off the brief thought as foolish, she tried to interpret the Wookiee's excited barks as he picked her up and spun her around. He then grabbed Han to enclose the three of them in a group embrace that gave her another cause for breathlessness.

"I know, Chewie, I thought she was amazing, too and I've seen her fly before!" Han responded with a chuckle. Then he laughingly ordered, "Chewie, let us breathe!"

As the Wookiee released them, he continued to woof at the princess animatedly. Mystified, Leia looked to Han for a translation.

"He says you outflew everyone. Especially with that little maneuver at the end." He grinned at her. "What made you decide we should fly _through_ the city instead of over it? That was crazy – I'm surprised I didn't think of it first!"

"I knew you'd like that," she laughed. "It just seemed like the right thing to do. We neutralized most of the ground defense that way." She shrugged modestly.

"You managed to shave a lot of time off our run with that trick."

Just then they were interrupted and dragged away to the after party by a cheering group of rebels.

There was a burst of spontaneous applause as Han and Leia entered the mess hall. Han received the ovation with his usual cockiness, nonchalant but with an air of vindication as he gallantly pulled the Princess forward and gestured that the accolades should go to her. Han could see that Leia was uncomfortable with being the center of attention and he swore he could almost visualize her donning an imaginary suit of armor to emotionally distance herself from the large crowd of overexcited rowdies. Just as he was thinking of an inflammatory remark to snap her out of her protective mantle of formality, he saw her consciously decide to relax and join in the camaraderie. Numerous comments were tossed at them as they made their way through the crowd:

"Hey, Princess - you can command my squad anytime!"

"Awesome run, guys!"

"Sharp shootin', Your Highness!"

Even General Rieekan and Commander Narra had something to say to the unlikely pair.

"That was quite a show, you two. I have to admit I underestimated your expertise, Princess, although the General here tried to tell me. Shows some insight on your part, Solo."

Han acknowledged the last comment with obvious smugness.

"Fine job, both of you." The General added. "I'd say you both made quite an impression on the troops."

"Your Highness, Captain, as you know we are forming an offshoot of Red Squadron called Rogue Flight. It will be made up of our best pilots. I'd love to recruit you both." Commander Narra enjoined.

"Sorry, Commander,"General Rieekan intervened. "High Command has bigger plans for Princess Leia than joining your flight team."

"I know, but I operate under the assumption that all good pilots would rather fly. So, Princess, you're welcome to fly with us whenever you can. How about you, Solo? I still need a Commander for Rogue Flight."

"Thanks, but no thanks. I've already told the General here I'm not the officer type."

"I beg to differ." Leia interposed. "You are absolutely the officer type - it's the commitment part you have to work on."

As they mingled with the crowd, Leia was aware of an almost proprietary attentiveness in Han's manner. It wasn't the first time he'd attempted to monopolize her, but this was different. He wasn't flirty, trying to keep her attention for himself. Granted, he stuck to her side like glue, but it was more like he was showing her off, making a point to circulate among all the different groups, and directing the conversation to induce her participation. The oddity of the self proclaimed loner who defied convention behaving in a manner worthy of a politician struck her as amusing, and offset the annoyance she might have felt at his high handedness. She played along, recognizing the inherent gallantry behind his actions and suppressed her surprise at witnessing his rarely displayed social skills.

"You don't have to hover over me, Han."

"Hey, I'm not hovering. I'm getting vindication for being the only one with any brains around here. Plus, notice how we get free drinks from every table we visit?"

"If I'm not mistaken, all the drinks are free tonight."

"Even better. Besides, I owe you. You saved my skin during the sim and because of you I made a lot of money tonight."

"I don't remember you being in any danger during the sim. I know I'm going regret admitting it, but you were pretty amazing out there yourself."

"I know, I really was - but I was actually referring to what happened during Zach's and Balen's runs. Imagine if I had paired up with one of them. I'd say I owe you a simulated life debt."

"A _simulated_ life debt! What does that mean? You pretend to care? You pretend to stick around?"

"Who's pretending? I'm here aren't I?"

As the evening progressed and the liquor flowed, the barriers between rank and position collapsed, officers drinking alongside enlisted men, laughter flowing as readily as the alcohol. The crowd dissolved into smaller groups seated around the various tables while soft music played in the background. Han was deep into a conversation with Wedge and Commander Narra when he noticed Leia was no longer sitting in the chair beside him. Glancing around the room, he caught a glimpse of neat dark braids and tousled blond hair bent close together in a quiet corner. As he watched, Han saw Luke's face light up in relief as Leia leaned over and gave him a swift kiss on the cheek.

Flashing Han a self-satisfied smile, Luke linked hands with Leia and led her to rejoin the group at the table. Giving the princess a dirty look, Han reached into his pocket and slapped a credit chip in front of Luke.

"I was counting on you holding your temper a little longer. You would never have forgiven me that fast." He grumbled disgustedly.

"You didn't tell me you'd bet on it." Leia replied dryly, sipping her drink.

"Would it have made a difference?"

"Maybe, depending on what would have been in it for me." She gave a mischievous smile.

"Now there's an intriguing line of thought…" Han gazed at her thoughtfully a moment, absently rubbing his lower lip with his thumb, and then giving her an incorrigible grin before shifting his attention to a comment called from down the table.

"Princess, how'd you learn to fly like that? That was the most insane landing I've ever seen."

Leia smiled wickedly, "I had an excellent flight instructor, but my landing coach was the biggest pain in the rear I've ever dealt with!"

Han snorted and turned his attention back to Luke.

"Nice job, kid. I wasn't sure you could handle it."

"I'm never doing anything like that again. Don't even ask."

"Don't be a wimp, Luke. Look at the end result - totally worth it. She's even having a good time. Right, Princess?"

Leia looked back and forth between the two men, confusion turning to suspicion then stunned disbelief.

"No." She shook her head. "I don't believe it. You did **not **just play me. There is no way Luke is that good at dissembling."

Han just laughed while Luke protested the aspersion.

"You said that to me on purpose, Luke? I can easily believe Han plotting to manipulate me, but you? Never. It's a good thing that I'm not entirely sober, because I should be a lot angrier."

"That's cuz you're having fun, Leia." Han interjected. "You should do it more often."

"So I've been told."

"Here, have another one on me." He refilled her glass from the bottle on the table. "You're gonna need it."

"Why? What else could you possibly do?" She questioned sharply.

Not answering her, Han rose unsteadily and addressed the equally inebriated assembly.

"Okay, gang line up. It's time for the Princess and me to collect our reward!"

End


End file.
